It was again a mixed weekend with 3 comprehensive wins and 2 losses.

Our last match of the round robin saw us pitched against Ballyboden ,where we needed a draw and they needed a win to advance to the QTR Final. . So the stage was set in O Toole Pk on a beautiful afternoon for this clash. 

The first score , a point went to Boden after 2 minutes. Within a minute we got the first of our 2 goals when the ball was drilled through to Donnacha  Carey who laid off to the in the in rushing Mark Mc Nally to finish to the net. Boden got the next score from a free. We then got our second goal following an excellent movement. Seamus Fenton laid off to Mark Mc Nally who played into Joe sweeney. Quick hands saw Joe deliver it across the square to Mark to finish it to the net.  Boden got the next score , a free to leave the score after a hectic 7 minutes 2-00 to 0-3. In the 10th minute a goal chance for Joe Sweeney was brilliantly saved by the Boden keeper. Boden tightened up at the back and despite plenty of possession we kicked some bad wides. Our first point came in the 16th minute when Jack Lundy drilled a ball into Luke Breathnach to fire over. A minute later from a cheap turnover 30m out from the Boden goal ,Boden delivered a long ball into the our goalmouth . The ball broke and Sean Parker saved well  but  on the rebound the ball broke kindly  to be taped into the net.  We got the next 2 points , one a long range effort from Eoin Fitzpatrick and the other from a free. Boden kicked the last point of the first half to leave the score level at 2-3 to 1-6.

The immediate  start of the second half saw a bit of a killer blow for us when a free that drooped short and should have been cleared was finished to the net . From the kick out we moved the ball up the field to Donnacha Carey and his shot for goal was saved. In the 35th minute Ben Millist got a great point and that was followed  by another one from a free. In the 40th minute Boden broke strongly from another  turnover and worked the ball into our square . The initial shot was well blocked by Sean Parker bur the rebound came back to the same player who buried it to the net. It was all downhill after that and while we had lots of possession, our attempts at creating goal chances failed due to poor last passes and excellent defending from Boden . It was 3-9 to 2-6 after 50minues and Boden pushed on to score 1-4 to our 0-2 in the last 10 minutes to finish deserving winners on the scoreline of 4-13 to 2-8. It was a very disappointing result for us and while Boden were the better team on the day we will regret not taking more of our chances in the first half. 

So we end our championship campaign without yet again taking a big scalp. Coming after our excellent League campaign when we finished second in Division 1 , the best ever  by any senior  team in any code in the highest division in the club, this was a disappointment for players, management and supporters.  Player of the Championship goes to Eoin Fitzpatrick . After a rather subdued league campaign by his standard, he was excellent in all of our 3 championship matches .The players now take a long break and will no doubt recharge their batteries for the challenge in 2025. Onwards and upwards. 

 

Before this last round robin match against Round Towers of Clondalkin we had already qualified for a home QTR Final. So this match was an opportunity to give more players game time. 

We started very well and  playing with the breeze, we kicked the first 4 points, 3 from Joey Quirke and 1 from John Clair.  Towers kicked the next 2 points, while we kicked a number of bad wides. We however got back into the game when Jack Long broke the tackle to fist over and Joey added another point. Towers then hit a purple patch hitting 4 of the next 5 points.. Before half time we lost Naoise Cronin to a black card and went in only 0-7 to 0-6 up. 

Towers hit us hard on the resumption with a goal and a point within 5 minutes for us to go behind for the first time in the game. We woke up and kicked the next 3 scores, with good points from play from Cillian Minogue , Jack Long and Eoghan Seoige to level the game, 0-10 to 1-7 after 15 minutes. We then took over and got our first goal. Eoghan Seoige broke in from the sideline was dispossessed but managed to get the ball across the square for Johnny Quirke to finish to the net. Cian Barry came on to kick a great point and a lay off from the  same player to Joey Quirke saw us get our second goal. The score was 2-11 to 1-7 when Cillian Minogue followed up with another point. The best point of the game followed , a point from the inside of his boot by Paddy Quinn Glennon from 35 m out.  Cian Barry kicked the last point to leave the final score 2-14 to 1-8. The last 15 minutes was a great performance. We defended very well in restricting  Towers to a point with great displays from Cormac O Dwyer , Finn Nolan, and  Eamon Nuaghton. Ruarai Kennedy controlled midfield and what will please management is the spread of scores in those 15 minutes , coming from starting players and subs introduced. 

Over the 60 minutes it was not vintage stuff but we won handily in the end on a scoreline of 2-14 to 1-8.

Next up is  our home QTR Final V Ballyboden on the 22nd September in Marlay PK at 11-00 AM. 

 

We went into our last round robin game having already secured a home QTR final. We faced an Erins Isle team who struggled to field.

The weakened Isle team struggled from the start while we were very free flowing. Goals from Mark Erdis and Cathal Mc Garrigle in the first half ensured that the result was never in doubt. Our level of fitness stretched the Isle defence and at Ht the score was 3-9 to 0-3. The second half was far too easy with Mark scoring his second goal and the fourth coming from Danny Fanning. , We emptied the bench , with the most impressive coming on been Shane Mc Greevey who kicked  4 points from play. With an array of scorers the game finished 4-21 to 0-6. 

Best for BSJ were Mark Erdis who finished top scorer with 2-5, Lughaidh Lynch, Michael de Faoite, Oscar Cronin and Michael De Faoite. 

Next up is the QTR Final V Naomh Mearnog on Sunday 22nd at 11-00 in Marlay Pk

 

Our Junior 5 Championship team had their third outing in the final group game on Sunday afternoon in Silver park against Kilmacud  Crokes. For a team only formed for the championship, they have made a good impression and delivered two strong performances in the first two games. It must be noted that Ballinteer only had 14 players so this presented a headache for manager on the day Johnny Gillick as he tried to set the team up to compete with a strong and young looking Crokes outfit. There was no gamesmanship from our neighbours up in Crokes to play 14 a side as it was win at all costs which is fair enough in championship we had to concede. This teams good performances to date continued into this game and after a strong start by Crokes, Ballinteer settled in and competed well for the first half. A powerful run midway into the first half by Sean ‘Spud’ Murphy  from halfway tore the Crokes defend apart and a rocket to the to[ far corner had Crokes rattled and stunned. Ballinteer forwards were up against it with Crokes having an extra defender but the likes of Spud Murphy , Rory Kane and our new team debutant Henry Fox at 50+ years of age and running like a 35 year old were keeping Crokes on their toes. The crokes team were now on edge and getting cranky resorting to some fouling to stop the Ballinteer attacked.  We defended well at the backs with Cillian O’Gorman, Joey Gormley,  Sean Mc Dhonnacha, Conor Kearney, Oisin Quinn and Andy Kane all working hard to stop the lively and hungry set of Crokes forwards.

 

Alex Gallagher was outstanding in goals with fine long precise kick outs, coupled with some shot stopping saves and calmness under a high ball to work it out to his corner backs. Definitely a keeper to keep an eye out for as he progresses out of minor.

 

The score at half time was 16 to 14, 2 points in it, Crokes under pressure and all to play for.

 

The second half started pressure from Crokes taking advantage of the hill and breeze along with their extra man. A turnover in the Ballinteer defence got Crokes first score of the half and settled them in. The Ballinteer defence and midfield with Tomas Victory and Aaron Crotty were working hard but Ballinteer struggled to get the ball up into the Crokes danger areas. Crokes were made work hard for all their score and Ballinteer still threatened on the counter attack. Thomas Sheridan, Ronan Brennan and Oisin Quinn were doing their best to create problems for the Crokes defence and if given space had potential to do damage.  As the second half wore on and Crokes emptied their bench with fresh men eager to impress their boss the Ballinteer legs were getting tired and with no subs and a man down, Crokes got a couple of goals to seal the victory and give them a flattening scoreline of 4-12 to 1-6. The Ballinteer effort was great and all men got a full game of football and experience into the legs to take back into their squads

While the Junior B Team had secured a QTR Final spot , what was at stake in this last round robin game against Ranelagh Gaels on a patchy Portobello pitch was home venue

Playing into the breeze in the first half the lads struggled to shake off the tight marking of Ranelagh and it was they who looked most threatening in the opening stages. A flowing move created a clear goalscoring opportunity but newly adopted Mayo man,  Stephen O’Callaghan  made a stunning save. It turned out to be a turning point and driven on by Colly Egan, Shane Holland and Eoin Byrne our fortunes began to turn. A fine point by Niall Gleeson followed by efforts from Cian Hallinan , Colly O’Donnell and Cian Duffy meant we went in at the break leading 7 points to 2.

The second half became a much more open affair and a trademark point from Brian Monahan was the catalyst for a flurry of scores. A fine interception by Conor Murphy and a swift counter attack ended up with Cian Duffy nonchalantly rolling the ball into the bottom corner with his right foot  (not a typo). As Ranelagh began to chase the game gaps opened up at the back and Colly O’Donnell cowardly fisted over a few points with the goal at his mercy. Cian Hallinan added to his tally with a couple of late points to leave the final scoreline at 1-15 to 0-5.

So we maintained our unbeaten record and now go into the QTR final in a confident mood.

Next up is the  QTR Final V Clanna Gael Fontenoy on Sunday 22nd September in Marlay at 3-00 PM